...Beverly Smith!As one of Fashion's presiding Renaissance women, there are few areas of style, media, and culture Beverly Smith hasn't touched:

Starting as a receptionist at an advertising agency, Beverly climbed the ranks with her razor sharp chic barometer, holding postsas Fashion Advertising Director and Fashion Editor at Large of Vibe Magazine, Senior Fashion Director of Rolling Stone, Contributing Editor of Latina Magazine, freelance writer for Paper Mag and Interview, and TV personality on BET, E, Oxygen, and VH1.I sat down recently with Bevy (as we call her) at Melba's in Harlem to get the 411 on her experiences in fashion, advice for breaking in to the field, and some of her Favorite Things!

On Breaking into the industry, Bevy says, "Study the art, craft, and business of fashion and you will go much farther than someone who just looks the part. Knowledge gives you the freedom to explore many facets of the business! We don't need any more fly young people carrying Goyard, wearing Lanvin but can't tell you who Madame Grès, Charles James, or Patrick Kelly are."

Bevy, whose favorite fashion memories include her first Vivienne Westwood Parisian show and Tom Ford's after party for the Met Costume Ball (in the Gucci era), contends that the key to maintaining confidence in the cutthroat world of couture is to, "Find something beyond fashion to believe in: look to family, friends, spirituality. Don't be afraid to be unique; in fact, celebrate what makes you different! "

Bevy's golden rule for success? "Be confident in who you are and what you bring to any situation. Also, know your worth: having worked in fashion for 20 years, I've built up quite a wealth of knowledge and contacts, which makes me unafraid to enter any domain."

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comments:

I do take issue with her attire. She may have good taste in dressing other people- but her melons are out in every picture. It is not tastefully done in any of the pictures, a la Nene on the terrible Housewives of Atlanta.

I personally feel as you age you should be able to figure out how to be sexy, play up your assets and be classy. I need for her to put them away.

Thanks so much for the lovely write-up but I must ask, why oh why do my "melons" offend risse, lol! If I had a dollar for every complete stranger that had something to say about the twins I would already be living in Malibu (as you know that's my goal, to be Malibu Bevy)! Anyhoo, I hope the post inspires some young person to learn more about the art of fashion versus trends and that we learn to celebrate our DIFFERENCES!

I'm sorry to be detracting from the fact that she's breaking into fashion and everything, but please

IN THE SECOND PICTURE WITH SOLANGE AND TINA KNOWLES:

....WHAT IS GOING ON WITH HER BOOBS??

Ladies please, Bras are your FRIEND. If you know that you have been 'endowed' a little more than the average female, then please, keep away from clothing that is obviously meant for skinny teenagers with little to no breasts.

Her breasts are a long mess in that picture, and I don't mean to be mean but it's true. Just that little fact makes her look like she's trying too hard to look young/trendy/whatever and it ruins a beautiful picture. She looks much better in the other shots where she's obviously wearing a supportive bra.

Fashion is from the INSIDE IN. You must have on APPROPRIATE undergarments FIRST before you dress the outside, otherwise all your primping and fussing is meaningless.

Bevy is well endowed. This is true. But it obviously hasn't taken away from her grind or her shine. And perhaps they're her calling card? Her hard to forget feature that makes her spring to mind? We all need one, and god blessed her with two!

I love me some Bevy! I saw her on this show on BETJ I think it's called "men uncensored" anyway it's usually just men talking about things but that particular night they invite women on the show. Ms. Bevy was hilarious! Do ur thang! You look great!!!!

Thanks so very much for posting on successful black women that are breaking into the fashion industry. I am a fashion student and i would love to go into the magazine industry with my degree, writing on fashion. Sometimes I know its obtainable but yet so far away. Seeing these post that you write on other women, gives me such motivation that I can't help but wait till I make it to the top. Thank you once again for inspiring me through your blog. Bevy is absolutely fabulous and the way she conducts business is extremely professional.

I'm sure Ms. Bevy is fab and all, but it's a shame she can't dress for her body type. I love to see successful black women, but I hate to see any woman trying to squeeze her figure (and there's nothing wrong with the girls...I have them too) into something that just isn't flattering.

If you're bigger than a large C cup, please, leave the spaghetti straps on the rack...and I say this with the best intentions.

I love the article on Bevy, in fact I just saw her eating dinner at Melba's this past Saturday while dining with my brother. I know she was like why do those people keep staring at me but I told my brother it was Bevy. She said hi and was friendly towards us and that made my brothers day since he finally came to visit his baby sister from Indiana.

I think Bevy is an example to Black women that if there is something you want to do go out there and make it happen and dont let what people say stop you. Everyone is not going to like what you do and in fact there gonna hate on you because you had the nerve to do what they can only dream about.

As a recent graduate with a degree as a Marriage & Family therapist my goal is to combine my two loves which is fashion and therapy. So this gives me inspiration to know that I can make my dreams come true.

I did not read the post prior to posting my comment as I was distracted by Bevy's breast (which aren't attractive at all) in the second photo. Let me say that after reading the post, I am very happy for "Bevy" and very proud of all of her accomplishments. Nevertheless, is seems like her fashion sense is lost when it comes to styling herself.

Having traveled with Bevy to the shows in Milan, NY or even "Magic" in the early days of urban 'fashion", I can tell you that no one is more respected for her fashion business acumen. Her distinct style, winning personality, and fashion knowledge, made "B Smith from Uptown" a force to be dealt with. Whether at a dinner with Giorgio Armani, or the president of Christian Dior with a urban celeb in tow, Bev made the fashion world recognize and spend ad dollars on the urban consumer--this I know-she built the Vibe fashion business--all the best Bevkg

Started in August 2006 by journalist Claire Sulmers, The Fashion Bomb provides daily doses of chic to stylistas of color. Recognizing there were few print and online sources for urban fashion, Claire took her interests in style and writing to create an online destination earmarked for sassy sirens with a passion for fashion.

500,000 monthly visitors log on to The Fashion Bomb for its fresh
takes on fashion news and stories, along with its boutique spotlights,
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In October 2008, Claire moved to Paris, France to draw inspiration from the singular beauty unique to the world's capital of fashion. Now international, The Fashion Bomb has several contributors, and seeks to be the global online destination for connoisseurs of style.